One Minute
by the-day-s-refrain
Summary: Emma and Hook share a moment on a cold evening. Takes place after Neal and Emma return to Storybrooke.
1. Part One

"Watch yourself, love."

It wasn't so much his voice that startled her but his hand on her shoulder. She looked up quickly and backed away from him. He put his hand and hook up defensively, tilting his head to the side with a smirk. "Easy, Swan..."

"Sorry" she said shortly.

"Where might you be off to at this time of night?" he inquired.

She opened her mouth to respond and then realized she had no idea where she was going. Her car was in front of Granny's, but she had just felt like walking. After a conversation with Neal had taken a turn for the dramatic she had longed to feel the cool night air on her face and in her lungs. The last thing she needed was to go round and round with Captain Hook.

"Just taking a walk," she responded.

"Not the safest time to be walking alone in the night," Hook remarked. Emma looked up and noticed he was missing his usual smirk. His eyes were almost worried for her. She did not need his worry at the moment.

"I can take care of myself," she snapped.

"Oh, I don't doubt that for a moment," he replied. His smirk returning as he thought of all the times she'd bested him. He certainly had respect for her ability to fend for herself.

"My car is outside of Granny's. I was just on my way back," she explained.

"Well, I might be new in town but I like to think I have a knack for navigation." He pointed behind her and smiled "I believe you're headed in the wrong direction."

Emma sighed and turned on her heels to start back towards Granny's. She felt him follow her, but just kept walking.

"I hear you've got a history with the dark one's boy," he remarked. She stopped abruptly and spun around to face him.

"That's none of your business," she hissed. The pirate was taken aback by her reaction.

"That bad, huh?" he taunted. She rolled her eyes and started back on her course.

"What do you want anyway? I don't have the energy to deal with any fairy tale bullshit right now," she muttered over her shoulder.

"I merely saw you walking and thought it strange, love," he responded casually. She rolled her eyes again. "With Regina and her mommy dearest on the loose I've been trying to keep an eye out."

"Good for you."

"This lad has really done a number on you, Swan." He clicked his tongue and grabbed her arm. She spun around to face him. "You're even more tense than usual."

"How would you know?" she demanded.

He didn't answer and moved in closer to her. She moved back but he only followed her movements. They had made it back to her yellow bug somehow and she felt it behind her. The cold air around them suddenly was replaced by the warmth of his hand as it came up to brush her hair over her shoulder. She had been longing for the cold air but it was replaced by a need for this sudden warmth. There was a certain comfort in the feelings it brought. Her eyes were drawn down to his chest. There was something between them and it felt better than whatever she had been feeling in the diner, arguing over past wrongs and years of lost moments. She scolded herself for the momentary intoxication with this character in front of her. The unfamiliar feeling of his touch was doing all sorts of things to her. She could feel the tenseness he was referring to. Her chest felt like it hadn't relaxed in hours and she could feel the toll it was taking on her. Exhaustion was settling in and Hook's warmth was so inviting. She looked up at his eyes, trying to regain any control she had left.

It was then that he answered her question "I think we both know I'm quite perceptive." His voice filled her ears. The sentence was filled with recollections. Her inquiry into his tattoo and his reaction to whatever memories it triggered had given her insight to what drove him. She could tell by his tone that whatever memories the tattoo brought were far from his mind.

"I thought I was the perceptive one?" Emma responded. She silently cursed herself for the flirty nature of her response. What was she doing? She should be walking away. Getting in her car and going home.

"Right now you're the tense one," Hook responded as if he was reminding her of something obvious. "You have that look in your eyes - the look of the lost boys. You're surrounded by people who love you but you still look alone."

Emma could think of nothing to say. How could he read her so easily? She did her best to be strong and hold it all together. She was the savior. She had to keep her family safe. The sudden realization that he'd been able to read everything through her eyes forced her to look down again. It was the only way for her to regain control. Hook raised his other arm and she felt the cold of his hook underneath her chin guiding her eyes back to his.

"I've been alone for many years," he began. "I've may have been forced to work with Cora out of necessity but you are the first person that has made me feel like being a team could work again. I gave you my trust on that beanstalk and you locked me away."

Emma had no response. There was nothing she could say. She had seen the honesty in his eyes before she'd locked him up, but her fear of him had taken over. She had not been ready to partner with him.

The door to Granny's opened and Emma jumped. Hook moved away from her and she looked over his shoulder to see someone walking out of Granny's and down the street. She didn't recognize them but it brought her back to her senses. Neal was inside and here she was pressed between a pirate and her yellow bug.

"He's just inside and I have to go," she stammered trying to fish her keys out of her jacket pocket. "He'll probably be following me soon; we didn't exactly end our conversation on good terms."

"I believe that's what we call too little too late," Hook said.

Hook felt his annoyance showing. Luckily Emma was so distracted that she didn't seem to notice. His words had brought her eyes back to his and he took his opportunity to move closer to her again. He wondered if she would ever relax in his presence. He wondered what it would feel like to have Emma's trust. He longed to feel her sigh out her uneasiness and give into the pull between them.

"Yeah well, story of my life," she muttered. His response had caught her off guard. It was such a simple way to describe Neal's return to her life. Too little too late. She'd spent so much time trying to sort out her feelings when he had found the words so easily.

"I hate to see you so tense," Hook stated. "It's just not healthy."

Emma laughed and Hook felt her relax a tiny bit. "I'm sorry but are you giving me health advice right now?"

"Got you laughing didn't I?" He responded. Emma rolled her eyes and pressed her tongue into her cheek.

"I need to get home," Emma stated firmly.

"Just do me one favor," he begged. When she gave him a questioning look he continued, "Just a small one. For the ten hours you left me chained to a beanstalk. I really think one or two would have sufficed."

Emma smiled and looked up at him. She could tell his intentions were good, "Fine."

"I'm going to hold you. I want you to forget that I'm… _Captain Hook_," he began. His name fell dramatically from his lips as if it really were a ridiculous fairy tale story. "I want you to relax. Just for a minute. Just to see what it feels like." His voice was light and breathy. He had moved closer to her as he spoke until his lips were next to her ear.

Emma felt herself tense even more, if that was possible, when his arms slide around her. His warmth was enveloping her now in a way that she couldn't refuse. She felt her walls crumbling with each breath she took in that was covered in his scent. Her conversation with Neal had been so cluttered with feelings from the past. The newness of Hook's form pressed against her was hard to resist. She recalled the words her mother had spoken to her what felt like so long ago. _"__It may keep out pain but it also may keep out love."_

Emma sighed and without thinking raised her arms to wrap them around Hook's neck. She felt him take in a breath before tightening his grip on her.

Hook felt her arms finding their way around his neck and he held her closer. He didn't know what was going on in her head but he could feel her walls coming down. All he needed was a minute.

Emma felt herself giving into him. She let out a final breath before truly letting her body relax against his. Even though they had been pressed together for a few moments there was a distinct difference in feeling her body relax against his. She noticed every place they touched. The way the details of his jacket pressed through her top and into her skin through the opening in her jacket. His leg pressed in between hers as he pressed even closer to her. Her head lay perfectly against his chest as she counted every breath. She hadn't felt this closeness in so long. As she counted his breaths her own fell into rhythm with his.

Hook tried to keep his breathing steady but the feeling of her relaxing into his arms was sending him over the edge. He had imagined this moment in his head since she had grabbed him away from that trip wire in the giant's lair. The shock of her sudden closeness had been so exciting but she had immediately pushed him away. He had felt in that moment just a fraction of what he was feeling now as her body molded into his own and her chest rose and fell in time with his.

"It's about bloody time," he whispered.


	2. Part Two

"I was wondering when you'd show up lass," Hook said as Emma climbed her way onto the cloaked Jolly Roger just after sunset.

Emma cocked her head to the side and rolled her eyes at him. "So sure of yourself…"

Hook leaned back against his ship and crossed his arms in front of him. "What can I help you with?"

Emma took a step closer to him and noticed his surprise at her movement. She gave him a small smile before saying, "So formal Captain... Can't a girl just stop by for a quick drink?"

Hook's lips crept up into a smile as he looked down at her. "Of course," he said and gestured towards the captain's cabin behind him. "After you."

She thought she saw hope in his eyes, but maybe she was just projecting her own hopefulness. The truth was that after their moment together outside of Granny's she hadn't been able to just go back to normal everyday Storybrooke. Not that any day in Storybrooke was ever normal, especially lately, but she couldn't get him out of her mind. She had felt so wound up for so many weeks with all the pressure of being Henry's mom, being the savior, being a daughter, and Neal's sudden reappearance in her life. Hook had seen that pressure building inside of her. While everyone else around her kept telling her how strong she was he had seen that all she needed was a minute to breath. How he had seen that in her she didn't know, but it had rattled her. Everyone around her had this persisting faith that had guided them through their lives in the enchanted forest, but she didn't have that other life or that same faith to fall back on. She was constantly feeling the pressure to adapt and do what is expected of her. Hook had torn her wall down, if only for a minute, and ever since she'd craved that feeling again. As much as he disarmed her, he was also capable of sharing that moment with her and for some reason it was all she needed right now.

She walked past him and came to a large wooden door. She pushed it open and walked into the cabin. It was larger than she expected and she immediately noticed the intricate detailing on the walls and ceilings. The room was dark but inviting and looked like it had been lived in comfortably for a very long time. There was a four-poster bed, a large wardrobe, a desk, and a table and chairs set in the room. It looked like the desk was covered in various maps and old journals.

Emma walked about the room, trying to take it all in before turning back to see Hook watching her from the doorway. "It's nice," she said to him and he nodded.

"Serves its purpose," he stated before walking towards a cabinet and opening it to retrieve two glasses. He set the glasses down on the table before pulling a chair out to offer it to Emma. She took a seat and he pulled a flask out from his jacket pocket to pour them both a drink. He took a seat across from her and asked, "How's it going for you royals?"

"I'm no royal," she scoffed and took a sip of the rum. It didn't go down very smooth and she made a face.

"Careful there," he said, amused at her reaction. "This is some pretty strong stuff."

"Trust me I can handle it, and I'm not here to talk about my family," she shook her head and took another sip.

"Fair enough," Hook said before leaning back and taking a sip of his own drink.

"How are your ribs?" Emma asked.

"Healing nicely," he answered while giving her a sideways look. "Why are you here, Emma?"

She looked up at him and her mouth fell open. She wasn't sure how to answer him and as she stared into his cool blue eyes she wasn't sure she wanted to be talking at all. She set her drink down, stood up and walked over to his desk. He followed her after taking a long sip of his drink.

Emma looked over some of the maps that were lying on the desk and when she looked up Hook was next to her. His hand came up to touch her check and she looked up at him through her eyelashes.

"Why did you ask me to relax?" she asked. "How did you know?"

"Not hard to see it in your eyes. You're _the savior_," he said with mock amazement. "Sounds like a lot of pressure to me."

Emma had nothing to say and just stayed still as his hand brushed down her check and settled where her neck met her shoulder. She closed her eyes and leaned into his touch. The warmth from the alcohol and her body's reaction to Hook's hand on her neck moved through her body quickly.

"Plus," he began again with a smile, "I wanted to feel you pressed against me again…"

Emma rolled her eyes and tried to back away but Hook followed her movement and leaned forward to brush his lips softly against hers. He pulled back and looked down at her questioningly.

She hadn't expected that. It would be a lie to say that she hadn't thought about what it would be like to kiss Hook, but she certainly hadn't imagined it would be so soft and so sweet. She couldn't stop herself from laughing at how opposite that kiss was compared to the rest of their interactions.

"Not exactly the reaction I was going for," Hook said, but he smiled right along with her.

"Not exactly the kiss I thought you'd bring to the table," Emma responded with a raised eyebrow.

"Something you've been thinking about then?" he questioned. Emma stepped even closer to him and ran her hand along his jacket. The way he felt this close to her and the way he hadn't dropped his hand from her neck and was using his thumb to trace circles on her skin had her reeling. Suddenly, all the pressure she felt began to melt away as she lost herself in his touch. She was overwhelmed by his nearness and his scent. She wanted to get wrapped up in him and forget about everything else. When she'd boarded the ship earlier she'd felt like nothing could get her mind to slow down, but being this close to Hook had her focused on just one thing.

"Just… try it again," she whispered and raised her lips to press them against his. This time he didn't pull away so quickly and deepened the kiss. Emma welcomed lips and parted hers to allow his tongue to trace her bottom lip. She brought her arms up and wrapped them around his neck before pressing the rest of her body against his. She wanted to feel every inch of him against her as she lightly pressed her tongue against his. He made a small moan that just encouraged her further. Her hand moved to his hair and she ran her fingers through it and lightly scratched his scalp with her fingernails. In a swift movement he pressed her back against the wall and moved his lips to her neck. Placing his hand and his hook against the wall on either side of her head he pressed his lips against her neck just below her earlobe and Emma took a sharp intake of breath. Her hands were on his chest and she grabbed the fabric of his shirt as he moved his lips all along her neck and throat.

He pulled back and looked down at her. Emma stared back up at him with willing eyes. She was completely lost in his lips and eyes. Hook brought his arms down and grabbed one side of her jacket with his hand and slid his hook between her neck and collar on the other side. He swiftly pulled her jacket off to reveal a black tank top. He brought his hand back up to run it down along her arm. Every moment he'd spent with her she'd been so covered up. He hadn't even realized how much he'd craved the sight and feel of her soft skin against him. Emma grabbed his jacket to remove it and did so before he took her lips to his again. It felt like a barrier had been removed between them and they were both eager to explore the new areas of exposed skin.

Hook ran his hand along the strip of bare skin between Emma's top and her jeans and she felt her stomach muscles clench. It had been so long since she'd allowed herself to feel this way. She'd been too wrapped up in all the fairy tale and family drama to be able to give in to any feeling of not being in control. In this moment, she felt completely out of control.

"Emma," he whispered against her lips and she completely gave into him. She pressed herself further against him and felt her face and body heat with his touch. His hand moved up under her tank top and explored the skin below her shirt. Her skin lit up with goose bumps as his hands moved over her skin. It had been a long time since she had been touched his way and her body was in over drive. She was completely lost in this pirate despite all the danger he came with. She somehow felt that she was safe here with him on his ship. She'd felt safe enough with him outside of Granny's to finally relax against him and give herself a minute to breath. Hook had a way of bringing her to a place where she could feel like there was nothing else in the world but the two of them. No family drama, no fairy tale wars, no magic inside of her.

Hook wrapped both arms around her waist and lifted her off the ground. She wrapped her legs around his waist and he moved them over to the bed. He laid her down on the bed and climbed over top of her. He propped himself up on his arms and looked down at her.

"Your eyes look clearer already," he told her softly and she smiled up at him. She wasn't interested in talking and lifted her head to press her lips against his again. He returned the kiss and brought his hand up to cup her cheek. The feeling of her relaxing against him and letting go of all her tension was thrilling to him. To feel the change in her body against his made him feel so much closer to her. He felt some sense of achievement when she was able to let go completely with him. This woman had bested him more times than anyone else combined and she'd challenged him in every way along his journey for redemption. But here in his captain's quarters and on his bed she had completely giving into him and he was intoxicated by her. He remembered the look in her eyes as they spoke about their first loves in the giant's liar on the beanstalk. He'd been amazed at how much this women had carried with her. She did her best to hide it but in that moment he'd seen it all over her face. To feel her let it all go beneath him was satisfying him in a way he'd never felt before. He was focused completely on her and on getting this reaction out of her. It became his purpose to make her relax and forget all her pressures. Not only in his bed, but anytime he was near here. He wanted to be her escape.

Emma grabbed onto his shirt and untucked it from his trousers before pulling it swiftly over his head. She groped at the new exposed skin, hungry to touch every part of him. Hook groaned against her as her cool hands trailed along his hot skin.

"You're burning up," she said quietly as he moved his lips to her neck again.

"This is what you do to me," he responded and lifted his head to look her in the eyes. "You're driving me crazy… in the best way."

Emma quickly examined the contraption strapped to his shoulder for his hook. She reached around and felt for the buckle while looking at Hook questioningly. He nodded in approval and she unbuckled the strap and pulled it off of him. She silently appreciated the fact that he was willing to remove his weapon of choice with no apprehension. They had both begun to shed their barriers, but this was one she wasn't sure of. After the straps were removed he pressed himself to her more aggressively. Now that he was sure there was no way he would accidentally injure her with his eagerness he was able to move freely. He used his hand to hitch her right leg up around his waist and Emma tilted her head back against the pillow with a sigh. This new positioning allowed her to feel his arousal pressed against her.

"Emma," he said softly as he pressed soft kisses to her neck.

"Yes…"

"I want you," he said simply and the words made her muscles clench below her waist. She lifted her hips to press harder against him and he groaned. "Emma… I mean to have you to tonight."

"I want you too. I want this," she responded as she caught her breath from their kissing. Hook brought his hand down to her jeans and fiddled with the button and the zipper before looking up at her confused. She couldn't help but laugh and shifted quickly to undo her jeans. Hook stood up to remove his own trousers and Emma removed her tank top. Hook looked down at her in amazement. She was so beautiful and he wanted to take a moment to appreciate her sprawled out in front of him.

"So beautiful," he said before moving back down to her and using is hand to begin removing her jeans. He ran his hand down her thigh and pushed the material down her leg placing kisses over the newly exposed skin. Emma moaned and felt her skin heating up under his lips. She wanted to feel him everywhere. Her need for him was overwhelming. She was completely consumed in the way he was touching her. She felt completely out of control, but comfortable with letting him take control of her. He moved his hand between her legs and ran his fingers against her. She pressed against him and moaned.

"I want you," she repeated as she gasped. "Please."

Hook answered her request by quickly removing the last barrier between them. He lay back down between her legs and she felt his hardness press against the softest part of her. She grabbed at his shoulders to pull him down closer to her. She hungrily kissed along his neck and throat and felt the vibration of his moans as he slowly filled her. The feeling of fullness she felt once he was inside her was overwhelming. She quickly bucked her hips up against his and he matched her movements. Hook ran his fingers through her hair and pressed his lips against hers softly. His hips moved slowly against hers as he savored the feeling of being consumed by her.

Emma bucked her hips beneath him and grabbed tightly to his biceps as she lost herself in his movements. There was nothing else but Hook and letting herself get lost in him had become such a desperate need. She didn't want it to end but she felt the pressure building up inside her as his movements became quicker.

She felt her stomach clench and every inch of her body felt heated as his name fell desperately from her lips, "Killian…"

He didn't stop, but hearing his name on her lips was beautiful in every way. He pressed his lips against hers desperately and groaned into her mouth. Emma squeezed her thighs tighter around him and threw her head back against the pillow as her release crashed through her. "Killian," she cried out as her body pulsed around him.

"Oh Emma," he groaned as he found his release, hearing his name on her lips again sending him over the edge. He collapsed against her and they held each other tightly.

Emma nuzzled her head in the crook of his neck as he lay on top of her. She could stay there forever. It felt so completely right and she knew once they separated they would have to deal with what had just happened. She would have to go back to her responsibilities and her family with the memory of what this man had just made her feel. This would become another thing she had to worry about. She had always felt a connection with him but now that she had truly let her guard down for him and let him in she knew she would never be the same.

Hook lifted himself off of her and stood next to the bed. He leaned down to give her a soft kiss on the lips before running a hand through his hair and looking down at her. "That was…"

"Incredible," she finished for him and he gave her a smile. Emma blushed, suddenly feeling self-conscious about being naked and satisfied lying in Hook's bed as he watched her. Hook noticed her apprehension and sat down next to her.

"Don't get that look back in your eyes," he said. "You don't have to worry, Emma. I don't want to be something you have to worry about. I want to be your escape. Don't leave here feeling like this was a one-time thing. As soon as you leave I will be counting the minutes until we can share another moment together."

Emma was shocked at his words, but her feelings of self-consciousness were momentarily thwarted. She looked into his eyes and knew that he was genuine. She opened her mind back up to the real world, or as real as it gets in a town full of fairy tale characters, and her responsibilities and it all didn't feel so crushing. She looked into Killian's eyes and felt like a sense of relief. She knew that she would be able to get through it. She wasn't destined to be just the savior or feel the never ending pressure of the title. In that moment she was sure that she was also destined to come together with this man. However he challenged her or drove her crazy she was drawn to him and it was because he allowed her to feel like everything else in the world was far away, and that was exactly what she needed.


End file.
